Reality TV - Enseignonsbe.doc

Université Catholique de Louvain
Faculté de Philosophie et Lettres
Département Langues et Littératures germaniques
Agrégation de l'Enseignement Secondaire Supérieur
‘THE FARM’ OR ‘THE SIMPLE LIFE’ :
REALITY TV
MARIE KELCHTERMANS Leçon présentée le 27 mai 2004
VALÉRIE SCHUEREMANS à l’Institut Saint-Berthuin, Malonne,
en vue de l’obtention du grade
d’agrégé de l’enseignement
secondaire supérieur
TARGET GROUP:
This lesson is intended for pupils from the 6th year, who have English as first foreign
language (L1). They have 4 periods English a week.
TOPIC OF THE LESSON:
Instead of taking these reality shows (‘The Farm’ or ‘The Simple Life’) as a starting
point, we choose to speak first about reality TV in general. The pupils are certainly used to
this topic, it is part of their everyday life but – ideally – we would like to go further than a
discussion of several shows.
We wish to launch the reflection of the pupils about the necessary conditions for a
reality show to succeed. We will talk about the principle of different shows in a second phase.
In a third phase they will have to be more creative, about the same topic.
WARMING UP ACTIVITY:
We ask the pupils a few questions, in order to introduce the topic and give them the
opportunity to speak a little about what they already know in relation to reality TV. There is
not much vocabulary specific to this theme, but anyhow this activity will remind the pupils a
few useful words.
 Which reality shows do you know ?
 Which ones do you (regularly) watch ?
 Do you know in which countries they are shot / broadcast ?
 Could you explain the concept of these shows ?
 … Other questions in function of the reactions of the pupils
LISTENING ACTIVITY:
Now that the topic is introduced, we can discuss the question of the characteristics of a
reality show. First of all we ask them their ideas about this – if it hasn’t been mentioned
during the first activity.
The pupils receive a grid, that they will have to fill in in the course of the lesson. The
columns of the table represent the qualities that a reality show should gather. The pupils
discover these thanks to the text “What makes a good reality show ?”.
They listen to it two or three times and have to fill in the titles of the columns. We
check together if they have understood the main ideas of the text – the purpose here is not to
understand every sentence in the details.
READING ACTIVITY:
After this general introduction, we are going to examine some reality shows in
function of the grid. The pupils will not all read the same text: we have adapted a series of
short presentation texts 1, which we give to groups of 5 or 6 pupils. The purpose here is not
that they work in groups – they will read the text individually – but to have an overview of
what exists in the field of reality TV.
The task of the pupils is to read their text and fill in one line of the grid, answering the
different questions that have been prepared in the previous activity. They should not copy
parts of the text but only write key-words in the relevant square.
1
The Farm: from the May 12, 2004 edition - http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0512/p07s01-woeu.html
The Simple Life: http://www.realitytvhallofshame.com/cgi-bin/ae.pl?mode=1&article=article1058.art&page=1
Hell’s Kitchen: http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/food_and_drink/news/story.jsp?story=512209
Survivor: http://maxpages.com/survivor/Concept
The Bachelor: http://www.realitytvworld.com
In a second time, they are going to tell the others about what they have read. This is no
reading exercise anymore as the pupils are asked to formulate their answers with their own
words: it is forbidden to read what they have under eyes. As several pupils have read the same
text, they can help each other to give a global idea of the content of it.
While the different groups summarize the main information of their text, the rest of the
group should listen carefully… To encourage them to do so, we ask the pupils to fill in the
grid with the information that the others are giving. We check this from time to time by
asking them to repeat or rephrase what has just been said.
ORAL AND WRITTEN CREATIVE ACTIVITY:
Now that we know everything about the conditions necessary to launch a reality show,
it is time to create one ! The pupils form groups of two or three and try to discuss a new
concept of reality show, “School TV” 2.
They have to prepare a small dialogue – it is easier for them to present an idea in front
of the class in the form of a dialogue, but they are not allowed to prepare whole sentences that
they will read: they can only have a paper with a few ideas and key-words. One or two of
them are pupils very enthusiastic about the idea of being filmed in the classroom, the other
gives counter-arguments and they have to decide in the end whether they would accept this or
not – and under which conditions (How many people? Are they expelled after a while? Do
they have to do anything special? Is there a prize for the winner? etc.).
Each group will present their dialogue to the others and in the end we have to decide
for the whole class whether we are going to launch “School TV” at school, or not. If the
pupils can’t agree quickly and there has to be a debate, we take advantage of this to insist on
the vocabulary and expressions of argumentation.
This activity could be used in the “évaluation formative”: the pupils have had the
opportunity to express themselves earlier on the same topic; we can now give them marks for
their oral skill in their participation to the debate.
In order to make the preparation of a new reality show more concrete, we ask the
pupils to write a letter to the headmaster (or to any other person in charge of “School TV”).
This is an exercise they prepare at home; the teacher will then correct the papers and discuss
them in class.
In this quite formal letter they have to explain their idea and give arguments to
convince him to give them permission to really create this show. Of course, if they think that
it is not a good idea to have a reality show in the school, their letter will consist of counter-
arguments to convince the headmaster not to start this !
TEST:
The test will consist of a reading activity (about the pro’s and con’s of reality TV 3)
and a written exercise.
This short essay will have to be argumentative, in order to check the pupils’ ability to
use the vocabulary that we have seen during the lesson. They can choose between two topics:
either they give their own opinion in the discussion for or against reality TV, or they apply as
contestants for a new reality show. We have dealt with the characteristics of contestants and
with the best way to argue and convince someone, so the pupils should be able to get an
interview with the producers…
2
Discussion of this idea can be found in an article in klasse.be :
http://www.klasse.be/archieven/archieven.taf?actie=detail&nr=9604
3
http://www.beaconschool.org/~kreed/mediag/archives/000225.html and
http://yougotthepoint.online.fr/nantes/realTV.htm
WHAT MAKES A GOOD REALITY SHOW ?
Since the start of Survivor, we have been confronted to a lot of very different reality shows.
There were good ones and bad ones. The good ones went on to be quite successful, and the
bad ones just succumbed to harsh critic’s reviews.
So what makes a good reality show ?
Well, there are many factors to consider… First of all, you can guess that copycat shows don’t
work. Survivor was original, because it was the first show to actually put people up against
extreme situations – like leaving people on a deserted island. So it worked out and became
one of the most successful shows ever. Star Academy and Big Brother were original because
they were the first shows to actually enable viewer participation, and look how many people
turned out to vote !
The French Television made a show, called Koh-Lanta, based on the same concept as
Survivor…
Yes, and it works because we all like it when people do crazy stuff. Those shows are full of
extreme stunts, people are forced to live on bugs, squid and all sorts of nasty jungle cuisine.
We like things that shock us. It may be stupid, but that’s just the way people are.
Besides extreme stunts, you need elements of surprise in a good reality show. Survivor tries to
be surprising. But in other shows, Big Brother for instance, the viewers can predict who will
be expelled…
But it remains close to real life, doesn’t it ?
It has to ! If reality shows appeal to us so much, it is because of the feelings we develop for
the contestants or the teams. These people are realistic, they are like us: when we see the
players or the teams argue, when we see them get frustrated, we can actually relate to them.
So eventually, you develop feelings for a certain player or team, and you feel that you must
cheer them on to the finish.
And what do they think about this ?
There are of course advantages and disadvantages for the contestants. You can become
famous quickly and make money easily. It enables you to gain greater confidence or self-
awareness, and it is great fun at the same time !
On the other hand, you lose your privacy. Reality TV brings you embarrassment, humiliation
and can do harm to your reputation. You can also get into trouble with your parents or your
friends… It’s never perfect !!
Hit French reality TV takes viewers back to 'the farm'
Farmers' union objects to derisive portrayal of peasants.
The Frenchman's love for all things agricultural is legendary. Now that love has found new
expression in a reality TV show that is breaking all records for audience size and, arguably,
for idiocy.
‘The Celebrity Farm’ takes a dozen has-beens and not-yets – including models and actors, but
also contestants from sports and other fields – and drops them for 70 days in a farm with no
running water, no electricity, and a outdoor privy. There they are confronted with challenges
such as building a chicken coop, delivering a kid goat, and milking the cows.
Never have French TV viewers been so glued to the screen. The nightly updates on
developments down on the trash farm attract about one third of the total television audience.
But the program's hick image of country life has also provoked controversy.
The farmers' union has picketed the farm, complaining that it "subjects the peasant's
profession to derision". The French Society for the Protection of Animals also fears for the
farmyard animals' welfare at the hands of the contestants: "We will not hesitate to sue as soon
as the participants' actions endanger the animals' health."
None of this, however, has given the average French TV viewer pause for thought, though
opinions are divided over exactly why the show is so popular. Some say that most French
citizens are provincial and get a kick out of watching townies make fools of themselves trying
to herd sheep. Others say that viewers identify with the TV contestants' travails; certainly
rural life exerts a curiously strong pull on the French popular imagination.
And of course, France has a history of personalities playing at being peasants. Queen Marie-
Antoinette had a little farm created for her at Versailles, where she would escape to perform
farmyard chores until she got bored. Few of the Celebrity Farm contestants seem much more
in touch with rural reality, but at least they are not risking the guillotine – at the worst, they
are voted off the program.
VOCABULARY
Arguably: on peut soutenir que…
Chicken coop : poulailler
To deliver : (ici) mettre au monde
Hick : péquenaud
To picket : organiser / mettre un piquet de grève devant…
To get a kick out of sth : être tout émoustillé par qqc
To herd sheep: garder / mener des moutons
A chore: une corvée
SIMPLY SHAMEFUL :
PARIS HILTON & NICOLE RICHIE FROM “THE SIMPLE LIFE”
The Simple Life is a reality show starring Paris Hilton, great-granddaughter of Conrad
Hilton (founder of the hotel chain), and Nicole Richie, daughter of pop-icon Lionel Richie.
The girls told the world that they were going to live on a farm in Arkansans to prove to the
world that there was more to them than the spoiled party girls they appeared to be: “Everyone
thinks we are two girls who never worked a day in their life and can’t do anything. We will
prove them wrong”.
They succeeded in this: they showed that in addition to being to spoiled rich girls, they
were also selfish, dishonest, immature and lazy. For that, they have earned a full induction
into the Reality TV Hall of Shame.
One of the challenges Paris and Nicole faced on The Simple Life was that they were
required to actually work for a living. They had never had jobs before, and apparently it was
very hard for them… Through every job they worked, Paris and Nicole showed extremely
shameful behaviour.
They could keep their first job, at a dairy farm, only one day: at the end of the day,
they were fired. And it’s astonishing that the boss had kept them around for as long as he did:
Paris and Nicole showed up late, complained all day, ruined several bottles of milk, and then
spent the rest of the day lounging around.
Did Paris and Nicole feel any shame ? Did they decide that they’d try harder next time ? Their
job working at Sonic showed that they had learned absolutely nothing from their experience.
Once again, they proved incompetent at just about every task: all that mattered to them was
that they thought they were being funny.
Paris and Nicole did have one job that they didn’t get fired from. Their boss at the gas
station didn’t find them to be good workers, but they were attractive and scantily clad, so they
attracted customers. The fact that Paris and Nicole were successfully able to stand around and
look pretty does not exactly dispel the notion that they were not able to do hard work…
VOCABULARY
Induction: integration, insertion
To lounge: se prélasser
Scantily clad: en tenue légère, vêtu du strict minimum
To dispel : dissiper, chasser
SURVIVOR
DEPRIVED OF BASIC COMFORTS, EXPOSED TO THE HARSH NATURAL ELEMENTS,
YOUR FATE AT THE MERCY OF STRANGERS…WHO WOULD YOU BECOME?
Beginning in March of 2000, for 39 days, 16 contestants will be marooned on a tropical island
in the South China Sea. They will be forced to band together and carve out a new existence,
using their collective wits to make surviving, without any conveniences of the modern world,
a little easier.
Day by day the location and tropical sun will test their endurance. Each three days of island
life will result in a one-hour Survivor episode. The survivors must form their own cooperative
island society, building shelter, gathering and catching food, and participating in contests for
rewards. Those who succeed in the day-to-day challenges will be rewarded with things to
make island life more bearable – simple comforts like pillows, some cold beer, and clean
clothing. Those who fail must do without.
On the last day of each three-day cycle, the castaways must form a tribal council. At this
meeting, each person places a secret vote to send one fellow castaway home, eliminating him
or her from eligibility for the one million dollars.
Week by week, one by one, the tribe shrinks until at the end of the final episode, only two
survivors remain. At that point, the seven most recently eliminated castaways will return to
form the final tribal council and decide who will be the final survivor, the winner of
$1,000,000!
We asked a panel of experts – some true survivors – to help us compile a Survival Guide of
tips and advice.
Rule 1 : BE NICE
It's not survival of the finest, it's survival of the most well-liked. You have to toe the line
between making people like you, making people realize how necessary you are and also
winning the immunity challenges.
Rule 2 : IF YOU CANNOT BE NICE, WHISPER
If you try to mobilize opinion against someone, you should be discreet. Lie low and let the
other people be plucked off. Only when it gets down to the last few should you emerge as
this dynamic, powerful leader who's been harbouring secret plans all along.
Rule 3 : BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS
You have to be able to make peace. In a real crisis – an avalanche or a flash food – if you can
keep people from panicking, you can get a lot more done.
Vocabulary:
To maroon: abandoner A castaway : un naufragé
To band: s’allier To shrink : rétrécir
To carve out: fabriquer To toe the line:suivre la ligne (de conduite)
The wits: l’esprit, l’intelligence To whisper: chuchoter
A shelter: un abri To pluck off: déplumer
A contest: un challenge, un concours To harbour: mettre en place, entretenir
The Bachelor
In March 2002, a show about a bachelor searching for love among 25 women crept onto the
ABC airwaves. The Bachelor became a TV phenomenon. However, televised romance
doesn't always end in happily ever after, without a script in place. Real-life heartbreak has
interfered with the fantasy world of reality TV. Once the camera were turned off, though, the
bachelor and the winner found that a real-life relationship wasn't so easy. The failure of their
relationship didn't deter the show's producers or the network. They had a hit on their hands
and quickly began their search for more Bachelors.
Twenty-five-year-old bachelor will get to know 25 women via a series of social gatherings
and exotic, romantic dates — in groups with some, and individually with others. He will
introduce some of the women to his closest friends and family, and will visit their hometowns
and meet their parents in an effort to determine the most desirable and compatible prospect.
The Bachelor follows a gradual process of elimination, as the bachelor must narrow the field
of women from 25 to 15 on the season premiere, presenting each of his choices with a single
red rose. The bachelor then closes the gap to 10, six, four, three, two and, ultimately, the one
woman who captures his heart. At any point along the way, however, should any of the
women decide that they are no longer interested in him, they may reject his invitation to
continue dating. The show also offers a new "first impression" rose, extended on episode one
to the woman who has made the best first impression on the bachelor. Additionally, the very
first rose ceremony takes a startling turn when the bachelor makes "a terrible mistake." Can
he recover?
VOCABULARY
A failure : un échec
To deter : dissuader
A prospect : une perspective
To narrow the field : restreindre le champ
Along the way : tout au long du parcours
A startling turn : un tournant saisissant
RAMSAY CREATES HELL'S KITCHEN, ANOTHER CELEBRITY REALITY TV SHOW
Gordon Ramsay is about to unleash the full force of his famously abrasive manner on
10 celebrities whom he will train to become chefs in a reality television show. The triple
Michelin-starred chef will have just one week to instil culinary skills in his famous pupils
before they are set free on the public in Hell's Kitchen, a prime time show fronted by Angus
Deayton, as it was announced recently.
The restaurant will then open to the public for two weeks only, with cameras trained
on the novice cooks to see how they cope with the pressure, and viewers able to vote the
contestants out in Big Brother-style.
ITV will not announce the names of the celebrities who will appear in Hell's Kitchen,
a cross between Jamie's Kitchen and Big Brother, until shortly before the show is broadcast.
Ramsay said the programme would be "real hard graft and a test of their temperament. It's the
same old saying: 'If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen', and if they can't then
they'll be out..."
Hell's Kitchen will go on air every evening for a fortnight this summer. ITV hopes that
the combination of Deayton (host of the show) and Ramsay (the chef) will single out Hell's
Kitchen from other reality television shows and appeal to a more upmarket audience. "It's a
culinary boot camp. The celebrities will ... have to get up early every morning and do things
like baking bread. This is a restaurant that's got to do 70 covers a night".
The two teams of five, each led by one of Ramsay's top chefs, will battle it out until
one team is eliminated, at which stage the viewer voting will begin. Contestants will live on
the premises of the restaurant, which is under construction in Brick Lane, east London.
VOCABULARY
To unleash: lâcher, déchaîner
To instil sth in(to) so: inculquer qqc à qqn
To front a show: présenter un show
Trained on: braqué sur
To cope with sth: gérer qqc, faire face à qqc
Hard graft: dure besogne, boulot acharné
Upmarket: intellectuel, raffiné, sélect
USEFUL WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS IN A DEBATE…
GETTING PEOPLE’S ATTENTION:
 Excuse me, …
 Could I just say a word on this ?
 Sorry to interrupt, but I’d like to say that …
ASKING FOR AN OPINION:
 What do you think of / about … ?
 Do you have any particular views on … ?
 I’d like to hear your opinion of …
GIVING ONE’S OPINION:
 I think / I believe that …
 In my opinion, …
 As far as I’m concerned, …
SAYING YOU HAVE NO OPINION:
 I (really) don’t know what to say.
 I really don’t have an opinion about …
AGREEING:
 I (completely) agree with you
 I think so too
 I think you’re right
DISAGREEING:
 I (totally) disagree with you
 Do you really think it’s a good idea ?
 Frankly, I can’t possibly agree with you
 I’m not totally convinced by your argument
PERSUADING:
 I’m sure that …
 I’m (absolutely) certain that …
 I advise you (most strongly) to (+ inf) …
Name: Date:
First Name: Class:
REALITY TV: TEST
1. READING SKILL: Read the text and answer the questions below
REALITY TV: PROS AND CONS
As you go through life you come across stresses, worries and as a relief you have
entertainment to escape or to let go of your worries. In 1999 a new reality based show was
out called “Survivor”. This show came in to shock many people because it had real people
being filmed all day stranded in an island, it made huge ratings because it dealt with real life
problems that the audience can relate to. After “Survivor” came out many other reality shows
and since then public television has started a new genre : reality TV.
All of these TV shows have had a prize money and that is given to the last one standing. In
these we witness the actions people will do for money. In these shows, people lie, steal, cheat
and do anything else in their power to be the winner. These shows give a misrepresentation
of our human nature. Also these shows bring certain negative stereotypes against different
racial groups.
The first representation we can make, is that we can’t see the difference between a reality TV
show and another. Some hate reality television because they believe that “people are treated
as animals”. Moreover, a lot of people assimilate reality TV with voyeurism.
But reality TV does not only have negative aspects. These shows give mainstream TV a
chance to explore places in the world that were never recognized. Since the largest audience
is between the ages of 12-18, these adolescents get a look in a different lifestyle and realize
the struggles of life. Also in many of these they enter the lives of people in a high economic
class. These shows also offer an insight into human relationships that will never be seen in a
normal sitcom, because there is no script.
Reality shows allow players to be famous. Some participants succeed after reality shows and
fulfill their dreams like Jennifer or Nolwenn, …
Reality TV brings a lot of money. For example, during a reality show we can see a lot of ads.
It can create a lot of work around this business.
No one can predict the future of reality TV. As time will go, reality TV will become unreality
TV and at the end will become a phase of mainstream media. As long as the money keeps
coming the cameras keep rolling.
Answer the following questions about “Reality TV: Pros and Cons”
1. Why do reality TV shows appear?
2. Give 2 negative aspects of reality shows
3. Give 3 positive aspects of reality shows
4. According to the text, what will be the future of reality shows?
2. WRITING SKILL. Choose one of the two topics below and write about 100 words…
a) Reality TV: pro or con ? Give your opinion about reality TV: do you think it is a good
thing or rather a type of broadcast that should be avoided ? Why ?
Give at least 3 different arguments.
4
b) Applying for a reality show: you read the following ad in the paper and want to
become one of the contestants of “The Billionaire”.
THE BILLIONAIRE IS A SHOW IN DEVELOPMENT AND WE ARE NOW ACTIVELY CHOOSING OUR 13
CONTESTANTS. THE SHOW’S FORMAT IS TOP SECRET AT THIS MOMENT, BUT WILL BE RELEASED
VERY SOON !
WHAT WE CAN SHARE WITH YOU FOR NOW IS… 13 CONTESTANTS WILL EMBARK ON A JOURNEY
LIKE NOTHING THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED BEFORE… EACH BRINGING WITH THEM AN IDEA THAT
CAN MAKE THEIR DREAMS COME TRUE… 72 HOURS LATER… ONE WILL WALK AWAY WITH ALL
THEIR DREAMS !!!
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BEING A CONTESTANT ON OUR FIRST SHOW, PLEASE EMAIL US AT.
DON’T FORGET TO MAKE A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF YOUR IDEA AND EXPLAIN TO US WHY WE
SHOULD TAKE YOU IN THE SHOW…
4
http://www.billionaireinc.com/billionaire_inc_004.htm